COT Student Makes Historic Coast Guard Emblem New Again
A Biddeford Regional Center of Technology (BRCOT) student has left his mark on one of the Nation’s most historic nautical emblems. Biddeford High School Senior Nick Desjardins has been working with local architectural designer Dana Peck of Maine Heritage Architects in Biddeford to create a replica of a historic emblem which will adorn the gates of the US Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.
The project was first brought to BRCOT instructor Ed Driscoll last year by Peck who was contracted by General Contractor John Palmer to create a new gate for the Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT. Palmer was bidding on the Coast Guard Academy gate project that would replicate the original historic insignia.
“The original insignia was in a museum three States away and could not be moved, so we had to get creative with how we would replicate the design,” Peck explained.
The solution was to take photos and measurements of the original insignia. Peck sent those to Driscoll and Desjardins created a 3D model on AutoCAD that could be cut into a piece of steel. The final steel insignia weighed 150 lbs.
“Nick gave them the basic insignia and then we worked with the contractor to laser cut it from the AutoCAD design. It was a very efficient way to get the job done,” said Peck.
“It was exciting to have a real-life project to work on in the engineering field,” said Desjardins. “I was honored to be part of this project and look forward to seeing the gates completed.” Desjardins will be attending the University of Southern Maine’s Engineering program next Fall.
The completed project resulted in four new gates with the historic insignia. Each gate weighs 1500 lbs.
In recognition of the student ingenuity that helped make the project possible, Peck is gifting one of the insignias to the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology.
The students and instructors from the BRCOT have been invited to the ground-breaking installation in New London Connecticut later this spring.
PHOTO CAPTION (l-r) Maine Heritage Architects’ President Dana Peck, Biddeford High School Senior Nick Desjardins, Engineering and Architectural Design Instructor Ed Driscoll and Biddeford Regional Center of Technology Executive Director Paulette Bonneau.